Local News
City of Kenora says it is not interested in subdividing Town Island; will sell to only one purchaser
By BERNIE BELLAN
A story that we have been following closely has taken an interesting twist. In the case of the looming sale of that portion of Town Island which is not already owned by BB Camp, the City of Kenora has clarified that if the rest of Town Island is sold, it will not be sold to more than one purchaser.
In a news story reported in Kenora Online on December 20, it was reported that City of Kenora Manager of Development Services Adam Smith said that, if the island were to be sold, it “will be sold as a whole (emphasis mine), with the exception of the B’nai Brith Camp property which won’t be affected.
“ ‘I think there might be some misinformation in relation to us proceeding with subdividing the island. We will be selling it in its entirety, at least the part of the island that we own. If a purchaser did come in and wanted to divide the island, there is a process they would have to follow through the ministry of municipal affairs and housing,”
“ ‘I think people may be perceiving that once it is acquired, or purchased through say a private party, right away they would immediately be able to commence with development. There is further due diligence, especially through en environmental perspective that would have to be completed,’ he said.”
However, in the original Expressions of Interest/Request for Proposals that the City of Kenora posted in September, the wording of the EOI/RFP said Kenora would… sell the lands to an interested party who is prepared to immediately undertake an appropriate development (emphasis ours) that complies with all relevant regulations and procedures.”
We asked Adam Smith to clarify the apparent contradiction between indicating that a purchaser would be expected to undertake “an immediate development” and the story that appeared in Kenora Online on December 20.
Smith responded: “That has been a standard line in our EOI ads and has since been removed. It is more reflective of properties within town for which we would like to see a project move ahead right away.”
As well, the Canadian Jewish News has also reported on the story. In a December 30 story written by Paul Lungen, it is reported that Kenora Mayor Dan Reynard said that “there’s nothing in the city’s request for proposal that requires the island be turned over to developers. The city is open to receiving bids from stakeholders who wish to retain the island in its undeveloped state.“
The CJN story also noted that following an October meeting with the “Friends of Town Island”, the City of Kenora had “agreed to extend the deadline for bids until the end of January, to give the stakeholders more time to look into a bid.” (In our story in the December 25 issue, we merely noted that the deadline for receipt of proposals was January. We were not aware that the deadline was the “end of January”.)
In an email dated December 31, however, City of Kenora Manager of Development Services Adam Smith would not confirm whether any proposals for the purchase of Town Island had been received yet.
I did ask Smith though whether the City of Kenora had received an offer from BB Camp to purchase the rest of Town Island in 2014, which is when the camp purchased 30 acres of the island. He responded that he did “not have any knowledge of offers to purchase the rest of the island in 2014.”
Yet, in a CBC story about the proposed sale of Town Island it was reported that, according to Aaron London, “BB Camp has inquired about buying the rest of the island in the past, but camp officials were told it would be transferred to a public trust.”
In a subsequent email to me London did confirm that there had been discussions involving a member of the City of Kenora’s administration back in 2014 about BB Camp purchasing Town Island in its entirety.
As we also noted in the story that we published in our December 25 issue, moreover, according to a 2014 story in Kenora Online, a spokesperson for the City Council of Kenora had said that “they (the city council) are committed to preserving Town Island in its current natural state and protecting the fishery and natural habitats on and around the island.”
However, in the intervening years between 2014 – when the sale of Town Island was averted and BB Camp was able to purchase 30 acres of Town Island (leaving 156 acres still owned by the City of Kenora) – and the present day, the City of Kenora has found itself subject to much increased social and financial pressures due to a variety of factors.
In a report issued by the Ontario Human Rights Commission in September 2019 which was titled “Report and recommendations on homelessness in Kenora”, it was noted, among other findings, that “Kenora is facing an immediate homelessness and drug addiction crisis which has a disproportionate impact on First Nations people who live in the city. (It’s a crisis where loss of life is foreseeable). The immediate crisis is related to:
o the forced displacement of vulnerable people, including people with addictions and mental health disabilities, who had been living in a substandard low-rise apartment building (Lila’s Place), coupled with fires that demolished two other low-income apartments in recent years
o the recent arrival of methamphetamine (“crystal meth”) from Winnipeg and associated health and safety-related issues
o the closure of other emergency shelter services at the Fellowship Centre due to lack of sustainable funding.
In the CJN story, Kenora Mayor Dan Reynard noted his frustration with the Province of Ontario and the province’s unwillingness to become involved in helping to provide a solution to the Town Island situation. According to the CJN story, Mayor Reynard said “talks with the province went on for years, ‘but it just seemed to get bogged down in the system.’ In the meantime, ‘we’ve got this asset and a big infrastructure deficit within the community,’ he said.”
The 2019 budget passed by the City of Kenora included a major increase in expenditures for policing. As Mayor Reynard explained in a story reported in Kenora Online in March 2019 “$650,000 of the $900,000 in tax increases approved weren’t within council’s control, including more than $400,000 related to an increase in policing costs.
“The increase is connected with a rise in calls for service, the mayor said. The OPP have said the increase in calls for service is related to the introduction of crystal meth, and there has been a related increase in petty thefts – including break-ins – officers say is associated with the drug.”
Thus, while many readers are no doubt concerned that Town Island’s future may be in jeopardy, it is important to be aware of the many factors that have led to this current situation, especially the much increased difficulties in which the City of Kenora finds itself.
Local News
Fringe Festival star Melanie Gall to appear at Gwen Secter Centre July 16
By BERNIE BELLAN A veteran performer at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Melanie Gall, will be making a special guest appearance at the Gwen Secter Centre on Thursday, July 16.
Melanie will be the featured speaker (and entertainer) for the Remis Speakers’ Series that day. The Remis Speakers’ Series is held every Thursday starting at noon and ending at 1:30. This year’s series began May 7 and will continue through the end of October. This year it has been attracting increasingly large audiences – ranging from 40-60 people, as it offers attendees the opportunity to enjoy a delicious – and kosher lunch, while listening to a very diverse variety of speakers – all the way from Gail Asper talking about returning the Ten Commandments to Assiniboine Park to Rabbi Matthew Leibl performing Christmas songs that were written by Jewish songwriters. At the same time it provides those attending a chance to make new acquaintances – or perhaps bump into old friends they haven’t seen in a long time.
Melanie Gall’s own story is sure to be riveting. I’ve written about Melanie in the past, but the past two summers had been especially nerve wracking for Melanie, as she was subjected to a torrent of antisemitic abuse over her support for the State of Israel.
You can read my story about what Melanie went through during the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – both in 2024 and again last year, at Melanie Gall subjected to antisemitic abuse.
Melanie, who will be entering her 13th year of performing at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, will be peforming in only one show this year – a departure from her past practice of performing in multiple shows (as many as three different shows) during the Fringe Festival.
Elsewhere on this website we’ll be offering a preview of Melanie’s show (which is called “The Ballad of Isobel Gunn” and which is based on an incredible, but true story), along with previews of several other shows.
In the meantime, if you’re not already a member of the Remis Speakers’ Series group, but would ike to attend this coming Thursday, simply email us at jewishp@mymts.net and we’ll reserve a spot for you. The cost for the lunch is only $20.
The Gwen Secter Centre is located at 1588 Main Street (corner of Smithfield). There is parking available on a lot behind the centre or on the street.
Local News
Folk Festival Report
(Posted July 10) During this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival we’re going to be running an ongoing blog report – with photos and blurbs from the festival, sent to us by Heather Silbert and Samara Ebanks.
Here’s Heather’s first entry (sent Friday at 3:33 pm): “It’s a hot hot day at the 51st Winnipeg Folk Festival! Lots of people; lots of good vibes; and an abundance of awesome music!!”
“We just moved to spruce hollow. Nice and shady. listening to Jacob Brodovsky.”
4:21 pm: “Jacob just announced that he lost his job and received a lot of vitriol from the Jewish Community because he’s a Jewish person who believes that Palestinian and Jewish lives are intertwined, and he is against the genocide. He is very deeply feeling, and expresses all these big feelings through his songs. I want to give him a hug, but it’s so hot outside!”
5:33 pm: The inscription in the plaque below begins with some lines from a Bruce Cockburn song called “Joy Will Find a Way (A Song About Dying)”: and continues with: “Memory Lane honours those who are no longer with us but whose presence lives on in the music, memories and moments we share here…”
7:06 pm “Gorgeous hand made polymer clay jewelry! Amanda Greisman makes gorgeous pieces that can be worn across many occasions! And she’s so so nice!” (See her booth called “Blue Sky Jewelry.”
(Keep checking for updates)
Local News
New GrowWinnipeg “Grow Together” highlights diverse origins of our growing Jewish community
By MYRON LOVE On Monday, June 11, about 120 younger Jewish Winnipeggers from diverse backgrounds came together at the Asper Campus for an evening of food and music, games and prizes and, most important, the opportunity to socialize with their peers from a growing community that reflects the long term success of our community’s 26-year-old GrowWinnipeg initiative.
“We are gathered here to celebrate your and your parents’ decisions to come to Winnipeg, build families and raise families here,” noted Dalia Szpiro, GrowWinnipeg’s director, in addressing the young adults in attendance.
To summarize, the GrowWinnipeg Initiative arose when our past community’s leadership recognized that our Jewish population was an aging and shrinking community with aging infrastructure.
The first stage was the planning and construction of the Asper Campus, which brought our major institutions and organizations under one roof in an attractive new building.
The next challenge was to attract more people to our community. GrowWinnipeg was created to take on the challenge. The initiative, which was officially launched in 2000, is unique in its efforts to reach out to young Jewish families throughout the Western world.
The first outreach efforts were directed at Argentina’s sizeable Jewish community at a time when the South American country’s economy was going through a very difficult period. Several of our community leaders visited the Jewish community in Buenos Aires and a website was established. Arrangements were made for local families to host Jewish Argentinians here on exploratory visits and the community helped the prospective immigrants navigate the then new Provincial Nominee Program, find jobs and establish themselves here.
Since then, many young families – from Argentina, as well as a great number of other countries – have chosen to make Winnipeg their new home. The young people at the recent GrowWinnipeg evening were reflective of the diversity of our growing community. During the course of the evening, I had the opportunity to speak with not only Israeli-born participants, also young people from Russia and Ukraine, Turkey and Uruguay – and a young lady who grew up in Ottawa.
Naomi Kirshenblatt Palansky originally came here from Ottawa to go to university. She met and married local entrepreneur Noah Palansky in 2023. (We wrote about Noah in the December 19, 2025 issue). That same year, the former competitive swimmer who competed in the Maccabiah Games in 2009 and 2013 served as manager of the Canadian Junior swimming team participating in the games. She is currently the director of operations and strategy for a company called CoinFlip.
Although born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Yael Borovich grew up in Winnipeg. She is the daughter of Dalia Szpiro and Eduardo Borovich (and younger sister of Vanessa) all of whom moved here in 2002. She is a graduate of the Asper School of Business and works as a senior client relationship manager for Scotia Bank’s commercial branch.
Siblings Igal and Edem Avimelek arrived here from Turkey six years ago with their parents, Etel and Moris. Edem is in her second year at the University of Manitoba while Igal is studying engineering at UBC.
They report that their father, Moris, has established the Upperwear Textile Agency – marketing textile products online – while their mother Etel, is senior IT Director, software development and data analytics and enterprise architecture at Standard Aero.
“Our parents were looking to move to a new country and came across the GrowWinnipeg webpage,” Edem says. “GrowWinnipeg has been really supportive of us in helping us move here and become established.”
More recent arrivals Alex Tsmokaliuk and Jane Hin are from Ukraine and Russia respectively and have been together since 2022. “We were looking for a peaceful place to start a family,”: Alex says. “We heard about GrowWinnpeg and here we are.”
Alex is a fitness trainer while Jane is working for WRE Development as a property manager.
Dora Bronstein, who is originally from Beersheva, is also a recent arrival to our community. “I came to Winnipeg because I wanted to get away from war – and I heard about GrowWinnipeg,” she says.
She is currently working for L.C. Taylor Licensed Insolvency Trustee as an estate manager.
Erele Tzidon and Daniel Mejnov
Last October, GrowWinnipeg introduced its new Youth Ambassadors program.
“Since October, we have been working to create an organized system and opportunities to help young newcomers find their people within our community,” wrote Youth Ambassador Erele Tzidon on Facebook.
“Our mission is to help young immigrants find a sense of home in Winnipeg and support a smooth and welcoming transition.
We are excited to help bring our young Jewish community together.
As reported in the Jewish Post about 18 months ago, Tzidon is originally from Moshav Ginaton in central Israel. She came to Winnipeg in 2018 with her parents Ofer – formerly regional manager for a car rental agency in Israel and now an RBC branch manager – and Sharon – an emotional therapist in Israel who is currently working as an educational assistant at Gray Academy – and three younger brothers.
The 20-year Gray Academy graduate has recently completed her third year in Science at the University of Manitoba. For the past three years, she has also been a member of Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin’s research team at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS), researching the link between pregnancy complications and the risk for heart disease.
In November, 2024, Tzidon was presented with the Dr. James S. McGoey Student Award – based on the quality of her cardiovascular research at the ICS, which operates out of the St. Boniface Hospital campus’s Albrechchtsen Research Centre.
Tzidon’s fellow Youth Ambassador is Daniel Mejnov. He was born in Beersheva but moved to Winnipeg with his parents, Dennis and Victoria (and younger brother Alon) 14 years ago. He is currently enrolled in an IT program at the University of Winnipeg.
Mejnov welcomed all those in attendance at the celebration and thanked the volunteers who helped him and Tzidon organize the event.
“It has been great being able to bring so many people together,” he said. “This is a good way to unite our community.
Two other individuals of particular note that I spoke with at the event were Orit Agabayev and Alina Plis, partners in three year old A and O Event Décor, who provided the balloon arches and walls, table settings and centre pieces for the evening.
Agabayev is originally from Netanya and Plis is from Yeruham (in southern Israel). The latter has been here for 18 years and operates a daycare. The former came 16 years. Her principal career is working in the field of animal nutrition.
In an Instagram PosI from four years ago, Plis noted that “I have always been passionate about planning parties and events. I started out with planning big surprise birthday parties for my kids. Eventually I began planning and decorating events for family and friends. Now I am taking the next step with my friend, Orit, who shares the same level enthusiasm as me. What drives me to go above and beyond is simply the excitement my creations bring to those who see my work.
On Facebook, Agabayev added that “Alina and I are so excited to start A&O event decor. We both love decorating and planning different events. We hope that you can put your trust in us to create or decorate an event for you. We do Birthday parties, anniversaries, bachelor/bachelorette parties, proposals, weddings and more..
“Message us with your ideas to get a free quote and you’re one step closer to having an unforgettable event.”
